Soldier From Big River FN Dies In Afghan Conflict

Soldier From Big River FN Dies In Afghan Conflict

Monday, August 24, 2009 at 14:12

 

 

A soldier from the Big River First Nation has been killed in Afghanistan.

 

25-year-old Darby Morin died on Saturday while on duty with the U.S. Army.

 

According to a family member, Morin was on night patrol, travelling on a mountain road along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, when the driver lost control of their military vehicle and it rolled.

 

Military reports supplied by the family indicate that it was around 3 a.m. and foggy when the mishap occurred.

 

Morin was wearing his seatbelt, but was unconscious when medics arrived and never regained consciousness.

 

Morin, who was a sergeant in the army, was scheduled to finish his tour of duty in November, and then return home the next month.

 

He was trained in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and had served in the army for six years.

 

He left for Afghanistan last December, and had been serving there for eight months at the time of his death.

 

The sergeant is survived by his wife, Veronica Morin, and his two sons, aged 19 months and three years.

 

Meanwhile, one of Morin’s uncles says his nephew was well-liked and had many friends.

 

Morin’s uncle, Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Vice-chief Lyle Whitefish says Morin enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after completing high school.

 

He says his nephew had always wanted to be a soldier.

 

Whitefish says the body will be transported back to Canada sometime this week or next.